Special forces soldier demobilization: Starting from the county government compound, a meteoric rise

Springtime, when flowers bloom.

A black seven-seater MPV without any special markings drove smoothly along the newly built Ningqing Expressway toward Qingyun County.

The atmosphere inside the carriage was warm and lively. This was a rare long vacation for Liu Ming after she relinquishing all her official positions and stepping down to serve as a "lifelong consultant".

"Dad! Look! What a huge bird!"

Sitting in his car seat, little Liu Nian pointed to an eagle building a nest on a high-voltage power tower outside the window and excitedly waved his chubby little hands.

"That's not a big bird, that's an eagle."

Sitting in the passenger seat, Lin Xiaoxiao turned her head and corrected her with a smile, "How about Mom teaches you how to shoot a gun later, and we shoot it down and roast it, okay?"

"Xiaoxiao, don't set a bad example for the children."

Xi Wanqing sat in the back row and glared at her irritably. Then she carefully wiped the crumbs from Liu Nian's mouth. Although she was already a high-ranking deputy presiding judge, her aloof temperament had long since transformed into endless maternal tenderness when facing the child.

Nangong Yao leaned on Liu Ming's shoulder, looking through the schedule on her tablet.

"This time we're going on a secret trip. I've had my people erase the entire itinerary so we can just pretend it's a normal family road trip."

She looked up and glanced at Liu Ming in the driver's seat.

"Why do you suddenly want to go back to Qingyun County? Although you've lived there, your memories of it aren't very pleasant."

"The memories aren't pleasant, but the people there were very nice."

Liu Ming gripped the steering wheel with one hand, his gaze fixed intently on the increasingly close outline of the county town ahead.

"That's where we started, and where the 'New Policies of Jiangnan' took root and sprouted. We have to go back and see how this tree has grown."

……

Half an hour later, the car entered Qingyun County.

Gone are the dusty dirt roads of yesteryear, and gone are the henchmen of "Nine-Finger Strong," their arms covered in tattoos, who used to roam the streets.

Instead, there are wide, smooth asphalt roads lined with shady trees, and modern shopping malls and residential complexes stand side by side. Street vendors enthusiastically call out their wares, and children chase and play carefree in the square.

The entire county town exudes a vibrant energy.

Liu Ming parked his car outside a resettlement community called "Chengnan New Village". This was the site of the shantytown that he had fought against Wang Quangui's gang of thugs, braving Molotov cocktails and bulldozers.

"What a big change!"

Liu Ming got out of the car, looked at the rows of neat and bright apartment buildings with elevators, and took a deep breath of the clean air.

He didn't alert the local officials; he simply wanted to take his wife and children and walk like an ordinary passerby on this land where he had shed blood and risked his life.

However, he underestimated the memory of the people of Qingyun County, and also underestimated the weight that name carried in this land.

"Hey...you...you are..."

An elderly man who had just finished buying groceries at the market and was carrying a live fish suddenly stopped as he passed by Liu Ming.

The old man's weathered eyes stared intently at Liu Ming's face, first with confusion, then with shock. Finally, the muscles on his wrinkled face trembled violently, and his eyes instantly reddened!

"Bang!"

The old man dropped his vegetable basket on the ground, and the fish was jumping around on the asphalt road, but he didn't notice.

"Director Liu...?"

The old man's voice was hoarse, even trembling with disbelief, "You are... Liu Qingtian?"

That cry of "Liu Qingtian" wasn't loud, but it was like a drop of water falling into a pot of boiling oil!

Residents who were taking a walk or buying groceries stopped what they were doing and turned around in unison when they heard those three words.

"What? Director Liu is back?"

"Where? Is it really Director Liu?"

The crowd began to move quickly toward this side.

In this age of advanced internet, Liu Ming's current identity is hardly a secret; many people know he's already a powerful figure in the city. But in the eyes of these ordinary, down-to-earth people of Qingyun County...

He was neither an advisor nor a superior.

He will always be the one who, in their most desperate and helpless moments, single-handedly stormed into the south of the city, sent those ruthless bullies to prison, and won them this peaceful and prosperous life... Director Liu.

"It really is you, Director Liu!"

After confirming that it really was Liu Ming, the old man suddenly knelt down on the ground with a "thump"!

"Sir! What are you doing!"

Liu Ming was startled and quickly stepped forward to help the old man up with both hands.

But before he could help the old man up...

"Thump!"

"Thump!"

"Thump!"

Like a domino effect, the surrounding people who recognized Liu Ming, the miners who had survived the mine disaster, and the merchants who had been oppressed by the criminal gangs and could no longer hold their heads high, all came together.

Men, women, young and old, spontaneously knelt down one after another!

There was no organization, no rehearsal; it was a heartfelt, primal, and deeply moving expression of gratitude.

"Director Liu! We've kowtowed to you!"

"If it weren't for you standing up for us back then, the people of this southern part of the city would probably still be waiting to die in that muddy ditch!"

"Director Liu! My son got into university! He said it was the road you built for us that helped him leave the mountains!"

"My benefactor..."

Cries and shouts of gratitude mingled together on this wide street.

Those who were used to grand occasions in the business and political arenas, like Xi Wanqing and Nangong Yao, had their eyes instantly redden upon seeing this scene. Lin Xiaoxiao even turned away and secretly wiped away her tears.

They finally understood why Liu Ming said the people here were kind: because if you plant a seed of kindness in this land, they will repay you with a lifetime of loyalty and gratitude.

"Get up, all of you! Get up now!"

Tears welled up in Liu Ming's eyes. This iron-willed man, who wouldn't even blink in the face of thousands of troops, felt helpless as he faced these people kneeling on the ground, weeping.

He bent down and helped the elderly and women up one by one.

"Fellow villagers, please get up. I, Liu Ming, cannot accept such a great honor."

Liu Ming's voice was a little hoarse.

"You deserve it! You absolutely deserve it!"

The old man held Liu Ming's hand tightly, tears streaming down his face, "You are a big leader now, but in the hearts of the people of Qingyun County, no matter how high your official rank is..."

"You will always be our 'Judge Liu'!"

The name Liu Qingtian carries far more weight than any medals of honor hanging on the wall or any titles printed on documents.

Looking at the pairs of eyes around him filled with tears and reverence, Liu Ming took a deep breath and forced back the warmth in his eyes.

He straightened his back, refraining from bureaucratic platitudes and grand pronouncements.

He simply bowed deeply to these simple, honest people.

Thank you everyone for remembering me.

Liu Ming looked at them, a bright and gratified smile spreading across her face.

"It's good to see everyone doing well now."

"Those tables I overturned back then."

"It was worth it."